Mystery Santa

III. Chocolates!!!

Raquel's view

I'm pacing around my office trying to stop the anxiety that is building inside of me as I stare at the pile of paperworks I need to review. Sometimes I really hate my job; it can be stressful, especially since I am a workaholic.

There is just no point of really going home at a normal time; no one is waiting for me to get back. Any attemps at relationship in the past have all crashed and burned. My ex-girlfriends have all left me because they say I focus more on my job than on them, and I guess they aren't wrong.

I just have a hard time depending on anyone else or showing affection. I'm not a lighthearted person. I wasn't raised in a warm environment. My parents died when I was young and my sister did a shit job of looking out for me growing up. My sister was hardly ever in my life.

I get it he was sixteen when my parents died, he didn't want to take care of a nine year old, so he left as soon as he could. It would have been nice if he could have visited more though, but oh well.

Luckily, my grandparents took me in. They were very strict and old, but they give me a home and I am forever grateful for them for what they did. However they passed away couple of years ago, so now I'm all alone.

I'm almost twenty eight years old and still alone. Many of my coworkers are married or have children and sometimes it gets to me.

It would be nice to come home to someone who loves you. Someone who wants to do christmas decorations with you for the holidays.

Someone to cuddle with on cold nights.

I sigh and decide I need to go out and take a breath, so I exit my office and walk around the advertisement department and notice everyone is on break as well. Wow, is it time for break already? I almost and kept working.

As I continue walking I notice Lavelle and Iza whispering in their cubicle, looking intently at something on the computer, I walk closer to mess with them.

"Enjoying your break?" I ask making them jump in fright. They both turn around to face me and Iza immediately gets up to cover the computer screen.

"Hi, boss. Oo naman nag eenjoy kami sa break namin." Lavelle replies abruptly.

"Uh huh, so baket kayo nag bubulungan?" I ask up front.

Lavelle and Iza look at each other, each trying to figure out what to say, but Iza finally speaks, "Tinutulungan ko lang po si Lavelle  na maghanap ng regalo para sa  Mystery Santa na pakulo ni Boss."

"Hala, dalawang araw nalang yun. Mahihirapan kayong maghanap nyan." I say.

I have to admit, Lavelle is hot. She's shorter than me by almost three inches and has dark brown hair. She has adorable dimples and blue eyes that keep you mesmerized. She's beautiful.

She must be dating someone, there is no way she is single. She's probably already engaged too.

It saddens me to think she is already taken.

I walk back to my desk and sit down, starting at the pile of paper. Great, today is going to be awful.

__________________________

Lavelle's view,

"Tulungan mo ako mag hanap please!" I beg Iza.

"Sinubukan kong maghanap nu! Pero wala akong nakitang swak para sa kanya. Baka pwede nalang mag gift card para wala ka ng iisipin Velle," Iza tells me over the phone while packing.

"Nooooooooooooooo! That's a lame gift," I reply.

"Edi chocolate nalang. Masarap yun at romantic din," she suggests.

"Ugh, magiging mukhang basic ako nun," I sigh.

"Oo, sobrang basic mo nga at sa sobrang basic mo, you procrastinated so badly, the mystery Santa is in two days," Iza teases.

"Jerk" I chuckle

"Well, baka chocolate din ako babagsak. Pakasaya ka sa byahe mo , ingat ka ha," I say before hanging up.

Just I am about to get up to go to the store, I hear knocking on my door.

Hmm. I wonder who that could be.

I walk over to the door and open it slightly. "Hi, ate," yells my little brother, Max.

I immediately open the door and grab my brother in a tight embrace, "anong ginagawa mo dito?" I ask.

"Ih, pwede dito muna ako sayo?" He declares grabbing his suitcase and rolling it into my apartment.

"Baka di ka masanay, kasi kay mama ka lagi," I say.

"Oo nga pero dahil yung party ay sa bahay natin gaganapin sigurado na pupunta lahat ng kamag-anak natin, at sigurado na gagamitin nila ang ating mga kwarto, so sinabi ko kay mama na I'm staying with you," He explains.

"Osge,' I say watching him go back outside to get more bags. He comes back with another suitcase and a box.

"Ano laman ng box na yan?" I ask.

"A shit ton of chocolate. Galing sa roommate ko,nagtatrabaho yun sa chocolate factory. And masarap to ate, lahat ng roommate ko ay nagdala neto," my brother says.

"Cool! Can I have some for a Mystery Santa gift?" I ask him.

A/N: Have a great Christmas everyone! God Bless us all, keep safe😉